Essential Medicines
18th edition
WHO Model List
18
th
WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (April 2013)
page - 25
mannitol
Injectable solution: 10%; 20%.
spironolactone
Oral liquid: 5 mg/5 ml; 10 mg/5 ml; 25 mg/5 ml.
Tablet: 25 mg.
17. GASTROINTESTINAL MEDICINES
Complementary List [c]
pancreatic enzymes
Age‐appropriate formulations and doses including lipase,
protease and amylase.
17.1 Antiulcer medicines
omeprazole
Powder for oral liquid: 20 mg; 40 mg sachets.
Solid oral dosage form: 10 mg; 20 mg; 40 mg.
ranitidine
Injection: 25 mg/ml (as hydrochloride) in 2‐ml
ampoule.
Oral liquid: 75 mg/5 ml (as hydrochloride).
Tablet: 150 mg (as hydrochloride).
17.2 Antiemetic medicines
dexamethasone
Injection: 4 mg/ml in 1‐ml ampoule (as disodium
phosphate salt).
Oral liquid: 0.5 mg/5 ml; 2 mg/5 ml.
Solid oral dosage form: 0.5 mg; 0.75 mg; 1.5 mg;
4 mg.
metoclopramide
a
Injection: 5 mg (hydrochloride)/ml in 2‐ml ampoule.
Oral liquid: 5 mg/5 ml
[c].
Tablet: 10 mg (hydrochloride).
a
Not in neonates.
ondansetron a
Injection: 2 mg base/ml in 2‐ml ampoule (as
hydrochloride).
Oral liquid: 4 mg base/5 ml.
Solid oral dosage form: Eq 4 mg base; Eq 8 mg base;
Eq 24 mg base.
a
>1 month.
17.3 Anti-inflammatory medicines
sulfasalazine
Retention enema.
Suppository: 500 mg.
Tablet: 500 mg.
Complementary List
Essential Medicines
18th edition
WHO Model List
18
th
WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (April 2013)
page - 26
hydrocortisone
Retention enema.
Suppository: 25 mg (acetate).
(the
only applies to hydrocortisone retention
enema).
17.4 Laxatives
senna
Tablet: 7.5 mg (sennosides) (or traditional dosage
forms).
17.5 Medicines used in diarrhoea
17.5.1 Oral rehydration
oral rehydration salts
Powder for dilution in 200 ml; 500 ml; 1 L.
glucose:
75 mEq
sodium:
75 mEq
or mmol/L
chloride:
65 mEq or mmol/L
potassium:
20 mEq
or mmol/L
citrate:
10 mmol/L
osmolarity:
245 mOsm/L
glucose:
13.5 g/L
sodium chloride:
2.6 g/L
potassium chloride:
1.5 g/L
trisodium citrate dihydrate+:
2.9 g/L
+ trisodium citrate dihydrate may be replaced by
sodium hydrogen carbonate (sodium bicarbonate)
2.5 g/L. However, as the stability of this latter
formulation is very poor under tropical conditions, it
is only recommended when manufactured for
immediate use.
17.5.2 Medicines for diarrhoea in children
zinc sulfate*
Solid oral dosage form: 20 mg.
* In acute diarrhoea zinc sulfate should be used as an
adjunct to oral rehydration salts.
18. HORMONES, OTHER ENDOCRINE MEDICINES AND CONTRACEPTIVES
18.1 Adrenal hormones and synthetic substitutes
fludrocortisone
Tablet: 100 micrograms (acetate).
hydrocortisone
Tablet: 5 mg; 10 mg; 20 mg.
18.2 Androgens
Complementary List
testosterone
Injection: 200 mg (enanthate) in 1‐ml ampoule.
18.3 Contraceptives
18.3.1 Oral hormonal contraceptives
ethinylestradiol +
levonorgestrel
Tablet: 30 micrograms + 150 micrograms.
Essential Medicines
18th edition
WHO Model List
18
th
WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (April 2013)
page - 27
ethinylestradiol +
norethisterone
Tablet: 35 micrograms + 1 mg.
levonorgestrel
Tablet: 30 micrograms; 750 micrograms (pack of
two); 1.5 mg.
18.3.2 Injectable hormonal contraceptives
estradiol cypionate + medroxyprogesterone acetate Injection: 5 mg + 25 mg.
medroxyprogesterone acetate
Depot injection: 150 mg/ml in 1‐ml vial.
norethisterone enantate
Oily solution: 200 mg/ml in 1‐ml ampoule.
18.3.3 Intrauterine devices
copper‐containing device
18.3.4 Barrier methods
condoms
diaphragms
18.3.5 Implantable contraceptives
levonorgestrel‐releasing implant
Two‐rod levonorgestrel‐releasing implant, each rod
containing 75 mg of levonorgestrel (150 mg total).
18.4 Estrogens
18.5 Insulins and other medicines used for diabetes
gliclazide*
Oral solid dosage form: (controlled release tablets)
30 mg; 60 mg;
80 mg.
* glibenclamide not suitable above 60 years.
glucagon
Injection: 1 mg/ml.
insulin injection (soluble)
Injection: 40 IU/ml in 10‐ml vial; 100 IU/ml in 10‐ml
vial.
intermediate‐acting insulin
Injection: 40 IU/ml in 10‐ml vial; 100 IU/ml in 10‐ml
vial (as compound insulin zinc suspension or
isophane insulin).
metformin
Tablet: 500 mg (hydrochloride).
Complementary List [c]
metformin
Tablet: 500 mg (hydrochloride).
18.6 Ovulation inducers
Complementary List
clomifene
Tablet: 50 mg (citrate).
18.7 Progestogens
medroxyprogesterone acetate
Tablet: 5 mg.
18.8 Thyroid hormones and antithyroid medicines
Essential Medicines
18th edition
WHO Model List
18
th
WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (April 2013)
page - 28
levothyroxine
Tablet: 25 micrograms
[c]; 50 micrograms;
100 micrograms (sodium salt).
potassium iodide
Tablet: 60 mg.
propylthiouracil
Tablet: 50 mg.
Complementary List [c]
Lugolʹs solution
Oral liquid: about 130 mg total iodine/ml.
potassium iodide
Tablet: 60 mg.
propylthiouracil
Tablet: 50 mg.
19. IMMUNOLOGICALS
19.1 Diagnostic agents
All tuberculins should comply with the WHO Requirements for Tuberculins.
tuberculin, purified protein derivative (PPD)
Injection.
19.2 Sera and immunoglobulins
All plasma fractions should comply with the WHO requirements.
anti‐D immunoglobulin (human)
Injection: 250 micrograms in single‐dose vial.
antirabies immunoglobulin (human)
Injection: 150 IU/ml in vial.
antitetanus immunoglobulin (human)
Injection: 500 IU in vial.
antivenom immunoglobulin*
Injection.
* Exact type to be defined locally.
diphtheria antitoxin
Injection: 10 000 IU; 20 000 IU in vial.
19.3 Vaccines
Selection of vaccines from the Model List will need to be determined by each country after consideration
of international recommendations, epidemiology and national priorities. The list below details the
vaccines for which there is either a recommendation from the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on
Immunization (SAGE) (http://www.who.int/immunization/sage_conclusions/en/index.html) and/or a
WHO position paper (http://www.who.int/immunization/documents/positionpapers/en/index.html). This
site will be updated as new position papers are published and contains the most recent information and
recommendations.
All vaccines should comply with the WHO Requirements for Biological Substances.
WHO noted the need for vaccines used in children to be polyvalent.
BCG vaccine
cholera vaccine
diphtheria vaccine
Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine
hepatitis A vaccine
hepatitis B vaccine